Why the amended revenue allocation bill will favour Kaptwembwa and other densely populated wards
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika assenting to the County Revenue Allocation ( Amendment) Bill.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika yesterday assented to the Nakuru County Revenue Allocation (Amended) Act, which brings revenue sharing for county development in line with the latest population census by increasing the equitable share for each ward.
Mtaa Wangu sought an in-depth analysis of the implications of the Act.
We spoke to Lakeview MCA Dr Alex Mbugua, the chairman of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, who explained that Nakuru County received Sh1.65 billion in the last financial year and this money is to be shared among the 55 wards.
Dr Alex Mbugua Lakeview MCA, he is also the Chairman Budget and Appropriation Committee.
"Previously we had a formula where 60 per cent was equal share, 30 per cent was population and 10 per cent was land mass and that has been changed and we felt that the equal share should go up and it went up to 67 per cent. 26 per cent will go to population and 7 per cent will go to land mass," said Dr Mbugua.
The purpose of this, he says, is to cushion the wards that have a higher poverty index, depending on the population in a particular ward that was supposed to be catered for by the 26 per cent.
"The reason why the land mass has been reduced to seven percent is because some wards are huge but not populated. For example, if you go to Gilgil, Malewa West, most of the land is covered by flower farms and the lake, the same case as Eburru Mbaruk which has Lake Elementaita, the sleeping warrior," he said.
The MCA goes on to give an example of Kaptwembwa where the land mass is small but they have a population of about 100,000, in Eburru Mbaruk they have a population of about 44,000.
"You will notice that some districts are small but they have a large population and that disparity is what we were trying to make and we wanted to answer that before we go to the big question of the allocation of funds to districts by the national government," he said.
The formula that has been put in place will go a long way in reducing the poverty index in the county and thus improving the lives of everyone in Nakuru County.